Hey! Big question....

[Candybullet]

Hey everyone I am new here and through my searching on the internet I came across this site which I think may help me reach a decision.

Anyway, ever since I was 10 I have known I need orthodontic treatment. I have seen top orthodontists in this country and eventually ended up being placed on a waiting list for free surgery to realign my jaws then have braces put on (I've been on it for about five years now but they have a shortage of medical staff at the public hospital so I don't know how many more years I"m going to have to wait and I'm 20 now). The problem is I am sick of my teeth and I do not want to wait any longer to have them fixed, they are the source of all of my social issues and self hatred. I have an overbite of about 6-7 mm but it is made worse by the fact that I have small jaws and large teeth that are over crowded and resultantly have pushed my front ones out. I have constantly been teased throughout my life and put down and I am afraid to smile and also talk to new people because of how much I hate how I look and I'm afraid they will judge me. I usually end up in tears when the topic of my teeth comes up because I feel it's such a huge fault with me. It hurts even more when people tell me I'm really pretty or could do modeling but I can't because I have these stupid large crooked teeth.

Enough of the emotional rubbish, basically, a few people (dental nurses etc) have said that I can straighten my teeth with braces and I'll need to have some teeth pulled. The more I think about the surgery the less I like the idea because I run the risk of changing my facial structure and I currently like how my face is. Also; it's not so much the overbite that concerns me; I like where my teeth sit; it's more that they are crowded and crooked. My smile doesn't look nearly as bad as it used to and I think just having them straightened would make me very happy and I would like the result. I'm due to see my dentist in two weeks and my yearly hospital check up is coming up so I'm going to ask about just getting braces.

My question to you guys is; would it work? Why would I have to get surgery? Does that have anything to do with keeping my teeth straight or is it just to fix an over bite? Please excuse my ignorance and thank you

[Zoso]

Thing is, that overjet is part of a bigger problem in the way that your teeth come together to bite, and not correcting it can potentially lead to more problems down the road. Extractions can work in some cases, but in others they can lead to a very poor facial appearance, so this is not an option to be considered any more lightly than surgery in terms of potential impact to appearance.

I am guessing you are perhaps in the UK? Even if you are still stuck on the waiting list for NHS orthodontic treatment, there's nothing to stop you from going in for a consultation on a private basis - I think they usually cost around 70 - 100 quid. But it would perhaps be worth it to get some answers. Choose a "specialist orthodontist" if at all possible (these are the doctors who have taken extra formal training in orthodontics) and don't be afraid to ask a lot of questions and have a candid discussion about the pros and cons to the various options.

[Candybullet]

No, I'm in New Zealand; however I do WISH I was in the UK...Our public health system isn't the greatest...and I'm no position to fork out 40 grand to go private for the operation...Hmm I guess I will have to just wait and see and ask lots of questions.

I'm getting to my wits end when it comes to my teeth...I don't want to have passed my youth and still trying to fix my damn teeth :P

[Sunny]

Candy have a good talk to your dentist and I recommend you should be saving money to consult with several orthodontists and be prepared to pay to have orthodontic treatment to straighten your teeth.

When your teeth have been straightened, you will be ready for surgery. Talk to your dentist about your wait for surgery, as it sounds like you should have already joined a suitable medical fund, to have your jaw surgery covered financially.

It's sad that you're allowing your teeth to cause you so many social issues. You really need to do something active about this, and waiting for an already overloaded medical system to 'save' you, is probably not the best thing for you. Instead plan how you can get your treatment started and eventually finished. There are many talented orthodontists in New Zealand and I'm sure you'll find one who can help you!

[Zoso]

I wonder if it is possible to move things along more quickly by paying out of pocket for private orthodontia, but still have surgery covered for you. Do you know if it is the orthodontic waiting list that has you on hold, or if it is surgery? As posted above, you'd need to get your teeth to a certain point with braces before you'd even be ready for surgery.

So I'd still say your best bet is to have a couple of private consultations and ask these sorts of questions in addition to questions about other potential courses of treatment.